In this article, we will cover radon, a topic that is important whenever discussing the security of one's home. The presence of radon, the second largest cause of lung cancer in the United States, should never be tolerated in any setting. The time to undertake a home inspection is now if you have never done one before. You need to know whether it is present in your house if other people are falling ill from it. Nothing more to it than that.
Easy Methods to Reduce Radon and Improve Air Quality
First, you should try very hard to ensure that there is always air circulation in your house. To reduce radon levels, that is one of the simplest steps you can take. Radon particles can be removed by maintaining a constant flow of fresh air. Now, however, no home, no matter how well-insulated, can be said to be airtight. Radon levels can be drastically lowered by regularly venting stale air out of the basement or other inhabited sections of the property. Some examples of this would be to turn on the fans or to open and close the doors several times.
Second, some houses have chimneys, and letting the flue remain open allows radon gases to exit the building. Like many other gases, radon will rise if given the chance; if your home has a chimney, you may simply allow the gas to escape up the chimney. If the air is particularly stagnant, you can install a fan to force gases up the chimney.
Third, having radon tested for and properly fixed by a licenced specialist in your location is your best bet for lowering radon levels. The aforementioned measures may lessen its presence in your home, but they won't be able to eliminate it entirely.
I'll admit that the aforementioned three suggestions aren't the most helpful, but they will assist cut down on your radon exposure nonetheless. Having a professional test your home or conducting your own tests are the only surefire ways to determine if radon is a concern in your particular location. Be informed; it would behove you to get your house checked at regular intervals. Having that peace of mind can help you get a good night's rest.
Granite and Radon - Scientists and Health Regulators Indicate Granite is Not a Health Risk
There have been allegations that the granite used in many homes' kitchens and bathrooms releases cancer-causing radon gas, but no conclusive evidence has been found to support these assertions. There has been a dramatic increase in the scrutiny by authorities and radon removal toronto experts on the veracity of claims in recent years. Their findings are unequivocal; utilising granite in residential construction poses no threat.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has no discernible taste or smell. One major factor that lowers indoor air quality is radon. U.S. EPA efforts to educate the public about radon's dangers in the home and establish testing guidelines have received considerable attention.
Despite these assertions, numerous authorities in the field of public health and scientific research have decided that granite countertops do not offer any sort of health danger. In the list below, you'll find some examples of recent conclusions reached by such institutions:
The U.S. EPA has published the following data on their website "Radon gas, a source of alpha, beta, and gamma particles, may be present in different concentrations in any given granite sample. Inconsistent radon emissions from some types of granite used for countertops. However, the EPA does not currently have enough evidence to determine that the varieties of granite often used for countertops significantly increase indoor radon levels."
It has been announced on the Florida Department of Health's website. "It's crucial to keep in mind that while there is reason to be concerned about the radioactive risk potential of granite countertops, we are always exposed to some level of background radiation. All granite, along with the vast majority of earthy materials, has minute amounts of uranium and radium, and hence gives off gamma rays and emits radon gas. Staff from the Florida Department of Health's (DOH) Bureau of Radiation Control and from DOH's Radon Program have had the opportunity over the years to survey various granite samples for gamma emissions, including a few granite counter tops, and have not found granite thought to be a significant gamma radiation hazard. Since gamma radiation can be measured coming from the granite, it was deemed "important," despite the fact that such radiation is always present in the environment, albeit at safe levels."
The following was provided by the Washington State Department of Health (WSHOH): "According to the "Radon Outreach Homepage," "The radiation (coming from a countertop) is detectable from only a very short distance, and the levels are quite low. It would take a person many hours per day of lying on the counter to absorb enough radiation to be detectable. The potential impact on society's health is minimal because of this."
The following was released on the TDSHS website, which is maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services "While some granite may contain trace amounts of radioactivity, the vast majority does not. Amounts of direct radiation from certain granite are noticeable, but in general granite gives out less radiation than the natural background radiation to which we are constantly exposed. Since they are so low, they pose no threat to human health."
An open letter on the potential for radiation exposure in homes constructed with granite was published by the Health Physics Society. This finishes our letter "In sum, there is no reason to take steps to get rid of granite counters in already-built houses. Monitoring for radon concentrations in the home's livable spaces is recommended if homeowners have concerns (per EPA protocols). If it turns out that the granite countertops are dangerous, it would be safer and cheaper to get rid of the radon in the entire house instead of just the worktops."